Quantitative evaluation of the quantity of community engagement in research

Background:Community engagement (CE) has emerged as an evidence-based approach to address complex issues that affect the health of marginalized populations. The Program for the Elimination of Cancer Disparities (PECaD) adopted a community-engaged partnership framework and seeks to determine the extent that  projects align with 11 Engagement Principles (EP) previously established in the literature.

Methods: 48 questions, measured on a 4-point Likert scale, evaluate how often the project adhered with the EPs. Each EP is measured by 3-5 items; Cronbach’s alpha examines internal consistency of items to measure a single EP. Average responses are examined by EP. CE quantity scores are averages of all 48 items. CE quantity scores are examined by project, role, number of projects, and demographics (gender, age, race, education).

Results:All EPs had alpha>0.90 indicating strong internal consistency. Averages by EP range from 2.73-EP11:plan for a long term process and commitment to 2.97-EP9:Integrate and achieve a balance of all partners; between “sometimes” and “often”. CE quantity scores range from 2.69 to 3.43; between “sometimes” and “Always”.

Discussion: Community engagement in research contributes to a more nuanced understanding of health problems, increasing relevance of problems examined, improving the fit of research activities in community-based settings. The data derived from this effort suggests the utility and reliability of the CE measure and the extent that (PECaD) projects are consistent with CE principles.